What happens if your hand luggage weighs over 20kg?

Our journey began bright and early at 7 a.m. on December 1st. After some final preparations, we were ready to leave for the airport by 9:30 a.m. Since both my parents and Yorick’s mum wanted to drive, we decided to form a convoy to Brussels. Despite a slight detour in the airport parking lot courtesy of Adrienne, we all arrived safe and sound.

Arriving at the airport was the easy part—it always seems to be. After waiting in line for our turn to check in, we faced an unexpected hurdle: the airline decided to weigh my trolley bag. I had been assured by family members who frequently fly Thai Air that cabin bags are rarely weighed. Unfortunately, this was not one of those times. My trolley, packed with essential items like a laptop, camera, and art supplies, tipped the scales at over 20 kilograms—far exceeding the 7-kilogram limit (though they apparently tolerate up to 10 kilograms).

What to do? The check-in agent kindly allowed us to reorganize. We shifted about 13 kilograms of items into Yorick’s backpack and a shopping bag. We told the agent the shopping bag would return home with my parents, though in reality, Yorick carried it as his "handbag."

Somehow, we managed to get everything through and onto the plane—a small victory!

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With the luggage drama behind us, the next few days proceeded smoothly. The in-flight meals started off well—the first dish, resembling chicken Köttbullar, was quite enjoyable. Unfortunately, the quality declined with subsequent meals, which is par for the course. For comparison, Singapore Airlines’ food is significantly better. Still, the transfer in Bangkok went off without a hitch, and our luggage arrived promptly at immigration in Australia.

Once in Perth, we took a taxi to our Nightcap hotel, conveniently located above the Belgian Beer Cafe. We arrived around 5 p.m., enjoyed a meal, and relaxed with a complimentary Stella Artois before calling it a night.

The next morning, we had a delightful breakfast at Murray Mews cafe. Using our $30 AUD vouchers, we indulged in two orange juices, two coffees (a long black and a latte—guess who had which!), and a flaky almond croissant. Afterwards, we spent some time wandering around Perth, soaking in the sights.

On December 4th, we transitioned from the Belgian Beer Cafe to our first house sit—but that’s a story for another post!

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